


They Could Never, Ever, Ever, Tear Us Apart

by Huntress8611



Category: The Umbrella Academy, The Umbrella Academy (TV)
Genre: Cuddling & Snuggling, Five has PTSD, Gen, Good Brother Diego Hargreeves, Good Brother Klaus Hargreeves, Hugs, Hurt/Comfort, No Incest, Number Five | The Boy Has Issues, Number Five | The Boy Needs A Hug, Protective Diego Hargreeves, Protective Klaus Hargreeves, Sober Klaus Hargreeves, Touch-Starved, i don't know her, what's a timeline
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-11
Updated: 2019-04-08
Packaged: 2019-11-15 13:26:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,462
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18074243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Huntress8611/pseuds/Huntress8611
Summary: “NO!” He screamed, bolting upright in his bed, his heart racing. He panted, trying to catch his breath. Shit.“Five?” he heard someone say from outside his door. “Are you all right?”





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The title is from Never Tear Us Apart by Paloma Faith.

_ He laughed as he suddenly felt the bite of the cold. He knew that he could do it! Wanting to test his limits, he time travelled again, this time into a world of burning and ash. Freezing for a moment in shock, he looked around, before breaking out of his stupor and running for the academy. _

_ He skidded to a stop in front of the ruins of the academy, frantically looking for his family, for anybody. “Vanya! Ben! Dad! Anyone?” _

“NO!” He screamed, bolting upright in his bed, his heart racing. He panted, trying to catch his breath.  _ Shit. _

“Five?” he heard someone say from outside his door. “Are you all right?”

_ Klaus _ , he thought.

When he didn’t answer, Klaus continued, “Can I come in?”

“Yeah,” he replied, voice cracking in the middle of the word.

His door slowly creaked open and Klaus stepped inside. He sat down on Five’s bed and set his hand on his brother’s leg.

“Are you alright?”

Five shook his head and pulled his legs up to his chest. Klaus could see him trembling and struggling not to cry.

“Can I hug you, Five?” he asked softly.

“ _ Please _ ,” Five said, uncurling and reaching for his brother.

Klaus reached out and pulled Five into his arms, squeezing him tightly. Five curled up against him and Klaus carefully ran his fingers through his hair.

“You were all dead,” Five whispered.

“What?”

“When I time travelled, I went to the academy. It was completely destroyed. I went in to look for you and- and you were all- I found your bodies buried- you were lying in the rubble.” Five finally burst into tears, unable to hold back any longer.

“Hey, it’s all okay now, I promise.” Klaus said.

“I’m so  _ scared _ , Klaus. I don’t want to be alone again.”

“You aren’t alone. I’m right here,” Klaus said, standing up, Five cradled in his arms.

“What-”

Klaus shushed him, quietly walking down the hallway to Diego’s room. He knocked on the door with his foot and heard a muffled, “Fuck off!” from inside.

“Dee, it’s important.”

He heard a loud groan before there were footsteps and the door opened. Diego looked at Five, cradled in Klaus’ arms, and stepped aside to let them in.

They both sat on Diego’s bed, leaning against the wall, and Diego asked, “What happened, Klaus?”

“Nightmare,” Klaus said quietly. “He’s afraid of being alone again.”

Five, too deep in is own head to comprehend the conversation between Diego and Klaus, felt himself being picked up and began to kick out at his perceived attacker.

“Five, it’s just me. It’s Diego.”

“Dee?” he asked, his voice heartbreakingly hopeful.

“Yeah, it’s me.”

Five twisted, curling into him and pressing up against him as much as humanly possible. Diego held him as tightly as he could, hoping to help him feel safe.

“I’ve gotcha, it’s okay. You’re not alone anymore,” Diego said, slowly swaying back and forth. “You won't ever be alone again.”

Five buried his face in Diego’s shirt and Klaus wrapped his arms around both of them, holding them tightly.

Five sniffled before bursting into tears again.

“There ya go. It’s alright, just get it all out. “ Diego said soothingly.

Klaus let go of them, shifting into a more comfortable position..

When Five felt Klaus’ arms leave him, he panicked.

“No, nonono, don’t leave, don't leave me,  _ please _ ,” he said, twisting in Diego’s arms, reaching for Klaus.

Klaus quickly reached over to Five and grabbed his hand.

“Hey, I’m not going anywhere. I promised, remember?”

“Sorry,” Five mumbled, forcing himself to let go of Klaus’ hand.

“Don’t apologize, Five. You didn’t do anything wrong.” He scooted closer and reached out to squeeze Five’s shoulder. Noticing his eyes drifting shut, Klaus added, “You’re exhausted, Five. You can sleep, it’s okay.”

Five shook his head vigorously, his breathing picking back up again at the mention of sleep. His eyes were wide open and he looked terrified.

Diego tightened his grip on Five and said, “You don’t have to sleep, Five. Not right now. We just thought you might want too. You seem really tired.”

“I don’t wanna dream,” FIve said, his voice barely audible.

“Oh Five,” Diego whispered, “You have to sleep eventually. You can stay here with me if you want, or you could stay with Klaus, if you want.”

“I-” He looked up at Diego and then over at Klaus, conflicted.

“It doesn’t matter who you pick, Five. We won’t be offended.”

“I- Can I- I’d like to stay with Klaus,” he whispered, stumbling over the words.

“Okay,” Diego said, gently kissing the top of Five’s head before squeezing him and then allowing Klaus to pull the smaller boy against him.

Klaus stood up, mouthing  _ thank you _ at Diego, who nodded at him in response. He walked into the hallway and closed Diego’s door before asking Five, “Do you want to go to your room or mine?”

“Yours.”

Klaus made his way to his room, and walked in, kicking the door shut behind him. He set Five on his bed and almost missed the distressed noise that the smaller boy had tried to muffle.

“Not going anywhere, remember?”

Five nodded and Klaus helped him crawl under the covers before climbing in after him. Five turned into him and Klaus pulled him tightly against him.

Realizing that Five was still trying to stay awake, Klaus sighed, saying, “Five, you have to sleep. If I know you at all, you haven’t slept properly in  _ days _ .”

“I know,  I- I’m just scared. I don’t want to see you dead again. I wake up and I’m never sure if it was a dream or not.”

“I know Five, but I promise I’ll be right here when you wake up.”

Five pushed his head into the crook of his brother’s neck and Klaus rubbed his back with one hand and cupped the back of his neck with the other, gently rubbing circles with his thumb.

Five hummed happily, nuzzling as close to his brother as he could get before closing his eyes.

“Thank you,” he breathed, nearly silent.

“Of course. You’re my brother, if you need help I'll help you.”

Five smiled softly to himself before finally allowing himself to drift off to sleep.


	2. Alternate Ending, Diego

“I- Can I- I’d like to stay with you- with Diego?” he whispered, stumbling over the words.

“Yeah, we can do that.” Diego said.

Klaus squeezed his shoulder before standing up, saying goodnight to them and going back to his room.

Five looked down at his lap, feeling ashamed. He’s 58 years old, he shouldn’t need to sleep with one of his brothers after a nightmare. It’s so stupid.

“Five, stop being embarrassed. You were stuck in the apocalypse for over four decades. You’re entitled to an indefinite number of breakdowns. I’m honestly surprised it took this long.” Diego said softly.

Five nodded, wiping at his eyes, trying not to start bawling his eyes out again.

“Five, it’s alright. I know I’m not exactly the poster child for emotional stability, but you can trust me. I’m not going to judge you, I promise.”

“I just-” Five tried to say, his voice breaking off, “I’m  _ tired _ , Dee. I want to sleep, but I can’t even close my eyes without seeing your dead bodies.”

“God, Five, I’m sorry,” Diego murmured, tightening his grip on the boy and gentle squeezing his neck.

Five broke down sobbing. “I can’t- I just- I need-” he gasped.

“It’s okay, Five. You’re safe, the apocalypse isn’t going to happen, and you’re definitely not going to be alone again. I promise.”

Diego started to shift, intending to pull back the covers and lay down, but a muffled keening noise and hands scrambling for a grip on his shirt stopped him.

“Just lying down, Five. Not leaving,” he said patiently.

Five nodded and Diego took that as an okay, somehow managing to get both himself and his brother under the covers without letting go of Five. Five, readjusting, curled into him, tucking his head under Diego’s chin and burying his face in his neck.

Diego protectively curled around him, running his fingers through his brother’s hair.

“I’ve got you, close your eyes, Five. You’re safe, you can sleep now,” Diego whispered into his hair.

“I don’t wanna dream, Dee. I don’t want to wake up and not know if you’re alive or if this was all just a dream,” Five said, almost inaudibly.

“I’ll wake you up if you have a nightmare, Five, and you won’t wake up alone, regardless. I’m not moving. I’ll be right here.”

“Thank you,” Five mumbled.

Diego tightened his grip, humming a lullaby into Five’s hair, smiling softly when he felt the boy relax in his arms, finally drifting off to sleep.


End file.
